


The Way You Say Things

by ScentedBooks



Series: Discord Bingo [2]
Category: Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst with a Happy Ending, Barista Jaskier, Coffee Shops, Customer Geralt, Emotionally Constipated Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, First Meetings, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Soulmate-Identifying Marks, Soulmates
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-09-17
Updated: 2020-09-17
Packaged: 2021-03-07 00:40:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26398045
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScentedBooks/pseuds/ScentedBooks
Summary: Jaskier had been waiting for his soulmate for a long time. At 26, he felt behind everyone else who had already met their one treasured personWhile he wants to meet his soulmate, he can’t help but feel terrified. Worried for the day that he would meet them and they would say the words on his skin that he could barely look at without wanting to cry:“I’d rather eat a pie with no filling than hear you sing in here again.”
Relationships: Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion
Series: Discord Bingo [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1907230
Comments: 10
Kudos: 263
Collections: Bounce A Coin Bingo





	The Way You Say Things

**Author's Note:**

> The two songs in his fic are 
> 
> Winter: Tori Amos 
> 
> &
> 
> Winter: Dandelion, The Witcher (Sword of Destiny)

_I’d rather eat a pie with no filling than hear you sing in here again._

When a soulmate said their first words to you, they were meant to be cherished and adored. Even a simple ‘Hi’ or ‘Excuse me’ had everyone treasuring their words, looking forward to the moment where they would finally get to meet their soulmate. 

Jaskier has spent the time he took looking at his words in discouragement and sadness in the thought of them not liking his voice. His _singing_ voice. One of the only things left in this world that made him happy. 

Plagued by the fact that the one person meant for him would not like the quality he loved most about himself. 

_I’d rather eat a pie with no filling than hear you sing in here again._

How completely elaborate that they would choose to say that to him for the first time they heard his voice. Of the way that they loathed it enough to compare it to a pie with no filling. 

Jaskier sometimes wondered if he would say something first. If lyrics he had not written were already on someone’s skin. What could he possibly be saying to conjure those words? Were they said in disgust? In dissatisfaction? 

He had always loved the sound of his voice. Other people have clapped and he has received gifts for the only talent he feels he has ever had.

So why didn’t his soulmate like it?

What had he done to deserve a soulmate that hated the one thing he loved about himself?

When he was a child, his mother taught him how to say his soulmates words, while his memory of childhood is fuzzy at the best of times, he would always remember the look of pity on her face. He became quieter as he grew up, not wanting to face embarrassment of his soulmate possibly hearing him. Not having the confidence to sing around others until he graduated high school. 

Always looking around for a disappointed face. 

Hiding his words with a bright smile and a bubbly personality. Long sleeve shirts that hid the words underneath for only him to see. Distracting anyone who would ask about him with ease. Never letting anyone get too close to know.

Now, he sang in the coffee shop he worked at. Standing behind the counter making everyone’s morning coffee, at least trying to give someone the chance to have a good day, and making children laugh at the different octaves he could get his voice too before they left each morning. 

Ignoring how the words that plagued his mind would finally feel once he heard them. He waited and waited for someone to say it while he was unconsciously humming in public, or singing in the library a little too loudly. 

It would surely be a terrible day. 

Not one that he was looking forward to.

\--  
\--

Jaskier was having a horrible day.

When Jaskier woke up that morning, he felt groggy, sick to his stomach to a point where he almost thought that he was starting to get sick. His throat felt scratchy and it was hard for him to talk. His alarm woke him up late, so he only had a few minutes to throw himself together with enough time to still make it to work on time. 

As soon as he walked in the door, the place was already packed. He ignored the dirty look he got from his co-worker Triss and downed his morning coffee quickly, ignoring the burning that was flowing down his throat. He had slept horribly the night before, and was sure that it reflected on his face. He could practically feel the dark circles under his eyes. 

He felt miserable and just wanted to go home and go to bed. 

As the morning rush slowed, the coffee started kicking in. He felt awake enough to open his mouth and properly speak to the customers, instead of the dead look that most of his coworkers wore most of the time. 

When midday rolled around and Renfri finally set up the small mic stand, his regulars were sending him hopeful looks. With a sigh he smiled widely at them, and knew that in his heart even if he didn't feel very good, he could not let them down because he knew that some of them only came in here to endure the crowd to listen to his voice. 

Even if it was a bit raspy. 

Taking advance of the colder air outside, the telling tale of the snow going to begin to fall in the night. 

Walking up to the stand, he thought of freezing winds, and the crystals that hang from his windows. The downing thoughts that keep him awake at night. The cold feeling in his heart as he goes up to the stand and the coffee shop respectfully gets quiet and he opens his mouth. 

_Snow can wait, I forgot my mittens._

His voice was a bit raspy, but to his ears it still sounded clear enough that he knew that everyone could still understand him. 

_Wipe my nose, get my new boots on._

He sniffled a bit and some people laughed good naturedly at his small little joke, a smile gracing his face as he moved on. 

_I get a little warm in my heart when i think of winter, I put my hand in my father’s glove._

He thought of his father, a man that passed away when he was young, the song bringing old thoughts back to him. 

_I run off where the drifts get deeper. Sleeping beauty trips me with a frown. I hear a voice, ‘You must learn to stand up for yourself, ‘cause i can't always be around.’”_

He smiled, enjoying the slight rasp that the scratch in his throat gave him as he looked around. 

A man with white hair and a hard stare looked at him from behind his coffee. A little girl that sat beside him looked at him with happiness and wonder, excited in her seat, seemliness trying to stop herself from swaying. Her blonde hair matched the large man's beautifully. A small carbon copy, that there was no doubt that they were related in some way. 

He started to switch up the lyrics, with new ones that he was trying, hoping that everyone would still enjoy them. 

_Around your house, now white from frost, sparkles ice on pond and marsh._

_Your longing eyes grieve what is lost._

_But naught can change this parting harsh._

_Spring will return, on the road the rain will fall._

_Hearts will be warmed by the heat of the sun._

_It must be thus, for fire still smolders in us all._

_An eternal fire, hope for each one._

He closed his eyes as he neared the end of the song, the golden ones that never left his own as he got to the end of his ballad. 

When his eyes opened, the people in the room were clapping politely letting him see that they supported him and enjoyed the song even with the rasp he was sure that they could hear. 

Even the man in the corner was clapping softly, looking at the little girl next to him softly. 

Triss walked up to the pair and hugged the girl tightly, clasping her hand and bringing her behind the counter. 

He decided to do something nice for the man that obviously knew his manager.

—

Putting the mic down he put his apron back on and went behind the counter to grab a cookie and walked slowly towards the man before sitting down across from him quietly. Jaskier sat the cookie down on the table, but before he could even say anything the man opened his mouth and spoke in a harsh voice, 

“I’d rather eat a pie with no filling than hear you sing in here again.” 

He felt the smile on his face drop, and his heartbeat sped up. Tears formed quickly in his eyes, clouding the bright blue in them, completely out of his control. He stood up from the hard chair and the man startled slightly below him. The handsome stranger looked at him with a plain expression as Jaskier replied through tears, 

“There is never a second opportunity to make a first impression.” 

The plain look turned into one of surprise just as Jaskier turned around and tried to hold his tears as long as he could as he fought to tear his apron back off once more. He glanced at Triss who was already staring at him, as was the little girl and whispered out softly, not bothering to see if she had actually heard him. 

“I’m leaving.”

He rushed out the door and wiped the tears from his eyes, ignoring the commotion that was happening behind him. He couldn’t bring himself to care about whatever they were saying. He barely made it down the sidewalk before a large hand grabbed his arm.  
Jaskier ripped the hand off of his own, not wanting to be touched right now. The tears now falling from his face freely. He couldn't bring himself to wipe them away before he turned to face the person that dared to grab him. 

It was his soulmate. 

He felt gutted to look into those golden eyes again, unnaturally bright on the winter morning that hid the sun from them. The man seemed to be having issues with what he wanted to say as they sat there staring at one another. As every tear fell down Jaskier’s face, it seemed that the man's expression broke a bit more. 

He stepped back from the man and spoke quietly, “What could you possibly want?” Jaskier turned away from him, not wanting to look at the broken look on his face any longer, “Please just go.”

A gruff voice finally spoke, “I can’t even explain to you how sorry I am. I’ve been told I’m terrible with first impressions.” 

He chanced a look at the man before him, a startled wet laugh unconsciously escaping his mouth at the absurdity of the man's words. 

Jaskier stood there, finally at least attempting to wipe the tears from his eyes as the man continued to talk, almost rambling, unable to stop himself. 

“I never knew what the words on my skin would mean, and I never imagined that I would say something to my soulmate that would hurt them so much. I am so terribly sorry.”

Jaskier forced a small smile at the mans clear nervousness as he continued, 

“Your voice is beautiful, I just don’t like when people approach me, I’m not good at conversation.”

Jaskier made a face at his words and the man spoke again, almost pleading 

“I just wanted to say that I was sorry, and I really didn’t mean it. You’re beautiful.” 

Jaskier’s face started to heat up and the man plowed over that, like he didn’t even say it. 

“Your voice is wonderful, my niece loved you singing, I was just annoyed.” 

Jaskier let a breath out, the air thickening with it as the temperature seemed to rise with the blush on his face and he interrupted, 

“I’m Jaskier.” His voice was still wobbly, unsure of what he should do around his soulmate. The man was only a bit taller but gorgeously fit in warm clothes to combat the cold. “Is your niece okay with staying at the shop while you walk me home?” 

The man's golden eyes got impossibly wide at the suggestion. Surprised at Jaskier’s tree branch to get to know one another. Not letting his self doubt completely ruin this before it starts. 

Plus it was cute that he rambled when he was nervous. 

Jaskier reached out and grabbed the man’s hand, wrapping them together. Giving him plenty of time to pull away if he wanted, but willing to give him another chance, even if it was only walking him home from work. 

Keeping him from crying in the street. 

They walked silently, and before long they were at Jaskiers front door when the man spoke again.

“Geralt.” He said. 

“What?” 

“My name is Geralt.” 

Jaskier smiled, his red rimmed eyes still holding sadness from their first encounter. He kept the hold on Geralt's hand and calmed his heart back down.

“Would like to have coffee sometime Geralt?” Jaskier asked quietly, unsure of himself. Thinking of the words on his skin again. The doubt of Geralt even wanting to hear him speak anymore sinking in his veins. His eyes cast downwards again. 

“I wouldn’t want anything more.” Geralt replied, causing Jaskier to snap his head up, 

“You… you mean that? I won’t be a bother?” 

Geralt's golden eyes dimmed more and he replied softly but with conviction, “You could never be a bother to me. I will do anything for you to see that.”

Jaskier laughed again, still watery and sad but a bit brighter, hope filling his chest, “Then… let’s start with coffee and see where it goes… something in the universe thought we’d make a great pair anyways.”

Geralt breathed a sigh of relief, “Whatever you want.” 

This time Jaskier’s laugh was genuine and he spoke, the tears finally starting to dry, “Careful with your words Geralt, I might start asking for pies.” 

The scowl on his face was worth it and Jaskier spoke again, 

“Meet me at 11?” 

Geralt squeezed his hand, “Wherever you go, I’ll be there.”

**Author's Note:**

> I hope that you enjoyed, 
> 
> you can follow me on Tumblr: @scented-books 
> 
> Please comment and kudos if you'd like.


End file.
